Five people are believed dead after a shooting Thursday afternoon at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, according to law enforcement officials. CNN, citing law enforcement sources, reports the suspect was a 16-year-old boy. Officers responded just before 1 p.m. after a report of a person firing a gun into a car, then received multiple calls that someone had entered the school and started shooting. The suspected shooter was shot and killed inside the school. Officials have not said whether the fatal shot came from police or from someone at the school.
At least two people were taken to hospitals, with children among the injured. The FBI is on scene assisting local police, Director Kash Patel announced. Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said in a statement that the district is “stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy,” adding that “no words can adequately express the grief our community is experiencing.” Senator Ron Wyden and Congresswoman Maxine Dexter also responded as the investigation got underway.
For Suncoast families, news like this rarely stays at arm’s length. We know the routine here, whether it’s tracking a storm in the Gulf or a red tide report, but nothing trains you for a headline about a school. Tonight is a good moment to make sure you know how your child’s school would contact you in an emergency, and to give your kids an extra hug. What questions do you have about school safety that you wish someone would answer?
